Magnetic apparatus for handling balelike objects, containers and the like



Aug. 8, 1967 Filed Aug. 27, 1965 MAGNETIC APPARA-T R A. CORVINO US FOR HANDLING BALE-LIKE OBJECTS, CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Ra/p/z A. Corw'no ATTORNEY-S Aug. 8, 1967 R. A. CORVINO 3,335,378 MAGNETIC APPARATUS FOR HANDLING BALE-LIKE OBJECTS, CONTAIN E R S A ND'THE LIKE Filed Aug. 27, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Ra/p/r A. Corw'no ATTORNEYS United States Patent MAGNETIC APPARATUS FOR HANDLING BALE- LIKE OBJECTS, CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE Ralph A. Corvino, Spring Valley, N.Y., assignor to John J. McMullen Associates, Incorporated, New York, N.Y.,

a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 483,177 8 Claims. (Cl. 335-286) This invention relates to material handling apparatus and more particularly to an arrangement whereby metallic plates or channel members are attached to non-mag netic bale-like objects or containers so that said bales or containers can be lifted and handled by electromagnetic cranes or lifting units.

It is common practice to bind woodpulp, rags and other loose materials into bale-shaped objects by the use of steel or fabric bands wrapped tightly therearound. After the bales are formed, hauling straps or nets are placed around the bales which terminate in an upward extending hook. When the bale is to be transported, a hookbearing crane or hoist is used. This requires a person at the loading station who manually engages the hooks. After the bale has been transported to the unloading zone, such as in the hull of a ship or on a freight car, another person is required to manually disengage the crane hook from the bale hook.

It can be appreciated that the requirements of the above-mentioned handling arrangement is expensive, time consuming and requires at least three crewmen: the crane operator and two men to manage the hooks. It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an arrangernent for handling these bale-like objects or containers which enables rapid handling thereof by the crane operator alone.

One embodiment of the present invention comprises an enlarged plate which is placed on the bale-like object immediately prior to the banding thereof so that said plate is rigidly secured to the bale of non-magnetic material. The bale can then be quickly and easily handled by use of an electromagnetic lifting unit without the need of hooks or crewmen to operate the hooks.

Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a pair of channel beams rigidly embedded in and welded to the top of a shipping container which is handled by a rectangular parallel track type electromagnet.

Further objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in view of the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2, 4 and 6 are top plan views illustrating various plates comprising the present invention.

FIGS. 3, 5 and 7 are fragmentary side sectional views taken along lines 3-3, 5-5, 7-7 of FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, respectively.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary front sectional elevation taken along lines 9-9 of FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings in detail, there is illustrated a bale 10 of pulp wood, cotton, rags or any other nonmagnetic material which is to be loaded, unloaded and shipped. Immediately prior to the banding or strapping of bale 10 an enlarged metal plate 12 is placed on at least one side of bale 10. Plate 12 is provided with securing slots through or in which conventional or steel bands or web straps 16 pass when bale 10 is being bound. With this arrangement, plate 12 is rigidly secured to bale 10 so that the lifting forces applied to plate 12 are transmitted throughout the bale by bands 16.

In operation, when it is desired to move bale 10 to another location or load the same in the hull of the ship or on a freight car, a conventional electromagnet 18 is lowered by a boom or hoist operator and energized in the conventional manner through leads 20. Plate 12 is immediately attracted to magnet 18 with sufficient force to secure and lift bale 10. Bale 10 is then moved to the unloading zone and after being lowered to a surface, magnet 18 is deenergized and returned to the loading zone to pick up another bale.

It is apparent that the crewmen who normally engage the bale and hoist hooks are not needed with the present invention. When the bales arrive at their ultimate destination, plates 12 are removed and stacked and can be later used on returning cargo in the same manner described above.

Another feature in the operation of the present invention is that if a bale inadvertently tumbles to the side, a skilled hoist operator can use the electromagnet to righten the bale to a standing position. Again, no crewman is necessary to hook or unhook the bale to the hoist when righting the same to a standing position. The operation can be effected by a single hoist or crane operator and no additional crewman is necessary.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 to 7 there are illustrated various designs of plates that can be used pursuant to the present invention. Plate 121; is a circular disc provided with oppositely aligned projections or cars 22. Each ear 22 defines an opening 24 through which the strap or band passes better seen in FIGURE 3. Strap 16 passes over and under ear 22 and is attached to itself by any suitable means.

Plate 12b is also a circular disc and has provided thereon squared projections 26 having a channel 28 defined therein and extending perpendicular to the direction of the projection 26.- Straps 16 lie in said channel 28 and relative lateral movement thereof is prevented by the upstanding sides of channel 28 and the tension in straps 16.

Plate also has oppositely aligned projections 30 with openings 32 extending through the center thereof in a direction perpendicular to the aligned direction of projections 30. Straps 16 pass through elongated openings 32 to secure plate 120 to the bale.

The plates can be of any suitable metal which can be attracted by an electromagnetic field and they are preferably made of cast steel. The corners of plates 12 intended to contact the strap should be rounded, for example, With a radius of A1 of an inch. If desired, the plan profile of plates 12 can be square, rectangular or any other desired shape without departing from the present invention. The size, shape and weight of plates 12 are normally determined by the cargo being handled.

Referring now to FIGURES 8 and 9, there is illustrated another embodiment of the present invention. A conventional elongated crate or container generally indicated as 40 having wooden or steel sides is provided with two elongated parallel channels 42. Channels 42 of magnetic material are embedded in the top of container 40 so that channel tops are flush with the top of the container. Channels 42 run the entire length of the container and are welded, bolted or otherwise secured thereto, such connection being sufficient to transmit the entire lifting forces (load, container weight, acceleration and safety) through channels 42 to the entire container 40.

Each channel 42 has two upstanding sides 44 and an interconnecting lower web section 46 which has a suflicient transverse dimension to receive the bottom of a rectangular parallel track type of electromagnet. See FIGURE 9. The parallel track type magnet is conventional and forms, per se, no part of the present invention.

The operation of the embodiment of the invention 3 shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 is the same as mentioned above and again it is pointed out that the hoisting of container 40 by electromagnet 48 is accomplished by the hoist or crane operator without the need of additional crewmen.

It should be understood that other and further modifications can be made to the herein disclosed apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, plates 12 could be secured to more than one side of bale and channel members 42 can be embedded and mounted to more than one side of container 40. It should also be understood that the electromagnets described herein are conventional and readily available in the commercial market and, apart from the combination herein disclosed, do not, per se, comprise the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a bale or box-like object of nonmagnetic material having rectangular ends and sides and when on end, a height greater than either of the lateral dimensions, a generally fiat plate of magnetic material positioned flat on one end of the object, and covering a substantial area thereof, said plate having on opposite sides two band-receiving parts to cooperatively receive a part of a band-like member and prevent relative movement thereof in a direction transverse to the length of that part of the band-like member, a band-like member tightly binding said object and having parts engaging said two band receiving parts to secure said plate to the end of the object, and a movable electromagnet to selectively electromagnetically engage and disengage said plate whereby the object can be handled and moved by operation of the electromagnet.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein each band receiving part includes an aperture and the band-like member passes through each aperture and doubles back on itself.

3. An arrangement for handling bale or box-like objects Which are non-responsive to an electromagnet comprising at least one magnetic member having a flat surface, said member being disposed on one face of the object, securing means rigidly maintaining said member on the object and a movable electromagnet adapted to be selectively energized and deenergized being magnetically connected to said member when energized and disengaging said member when deenergized whereby the object is handled and moved by the operation of said electromagnet, and wherein said at least one member comprises a pair of elongated spaced but parallel channels each channel being U-shaped and having two upstanding sides and an interconnecting Web at the bottom thereof, the tops of said sides being flush with the face of the object.

4. The arrangement as set forth in claim 1 wherein each band-receiving part defines on its top side a channel with upstanding sides extending generally parallel with those of the other band-receiving part and said band-like member lying in said channel.

5. The arrangement as set forth in claim 1 wherein said band-receiving parts comprise generally parallel openings extending parallel with and between the top and bottom surfaces of the plate, said band-like member passing through each said opening.

6. The arrangement as set forth in claim 3 wherein said securing means comprises welds between the object and each channel.

7. The arrangement as set forth in claim 3 wherein said electromagnet comprises parallel track type magnets which are dimensioned to engage said interconnecting web.

8. The arrangement as set forth in claim 6 wherein said channels have substantially the same length as the object side in which they are secured.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,794,941 6/1957 Anderson 335291 X 2,797,370 6/1957 Bennett 335303 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

G. HARRIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A BALE OR BOX-LIKE OBJECT OF NONMAGNETIC MATERIAL HAVING RECTANGULAR ENDS AND SIDES AND WHEN ON END, A HEIGHT GREATER THAN EITHER OF THE LATERAL DIMENSIONS, A GENERALLY FLAT PLATE OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL POSITIONED FLAT ON ONE END OF THE OBJECT, AND COVERING AT SUBSTANTIAL AREA THEREOF, SAID PLATE HAVING ON OPPOSITE SIDES TWO BAND-RECEIVING PARTS TO COOPERATIVELY RECEIVE A PART OF A BAND-LIKE MEMBER AND PREVENT RELATIVE MOVEMENT THEREOF IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO THE LENGTH OF THAT PART OF THE BAND-LIKE MEMBER, A BAND-LIKE MEMBER TIGHTLY BINDING SAID OBJECT AND HAVING PARTS ENGAGING SAID TWO BAND RECEIVING PARTS TO SECURE SAID PLATE TO THE END OF THE OBJECT, AND A MOVABLE ELECTROMAGNET TO SELECTIVELY ELECTROMAGNETICALLY ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE SAID PLATE WHEREBY THE OBJECT CAN BE HANDLED AND MOVED BY OPERATION OF THE ELECTROMAGNET. 